Temperature regulation of heated air distribution systems in passenger rooms

Abstract

A passenger compartment with an air distribution system for a means of transport and a method for regulating an air outlet temperature of an air distribution system in a passenger compartment of a means of transport are provided. In this arrangement the passenger compartment comprises a multitude of temperature zones in each case with several temperature regions with different heat loads. The air distribution system is designed to calculate the heating energy for a heating element in such a manner that the temperature in the entire temperature zone is as uniform as possible.

1 . A passenger compartment with an air distribution system for a means of transport, with the air distribution system comprising:
 a control unit;   a plurality of air outlets; and   at least one heating element;   wherein the passenger compartment comprises at least one temperature zone with a first temperature region and a second temperature region;   wherein the first temperature region is designed to receive a first heat load, and the second temperature region is designed to receive a second heat load, which first heat toad differs from the second heat load;   wherein the at least one temperature zone comprises the plurality of air outlets, which plurality of air outlets share a common air supply;   wherein the at least one heating element is associated with one of the plurality of air outlets in order to heat the air flowing from the one air outlet, which one air outlet is arranged in one of the first temperature region and the second temperature region that comprises a lower heat load than the other temperature region;   wherein the control unit is designed to determine a temperature in the at least one temperature zone, and to determine a heating energy for the at least one heating element;   wherein a first group of the plurality of air outlets in the first temperature region is designed to output air of a first air outlet temperature to the passenger compartment;   wherein a second group of the plurality of air outlets in the second temperature region is designed to output air of a second air outlet temperature to the passenger compartment; and   wherein the control unit is designed to calculate the heating energy for the at least one heating element in such a manner that in the at least one temperature zone an essentially uniform temperature is achieved.   
     
     
         2 . The passenger compartment of  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a plurality of temperature sensors and the at least one temperature zone comprises a plurality of temperature zones;   wherein each one of the plurality of temperature zones is associated with one of the plurality of temperature sensors, each of the plurality of temperature sensors designed to measure the temperature in the respective one of the plurality of temperature zones, and to transmit the result to the control unit.   
     
     
         3 . The passenger compartment of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the one of the plurality of temperature sensors that is associated with the one of the plurality of temperature zones is arranged in the second temperature region of the one of the plurality of temperature zones;   wherein the second temperature region has a higher heat load than the first temperature region of the one of the plurality of temperature zones.   
     
     
         4 . The passenger compartment of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one temperature zone comprises a first temperature zone and a second temperature zone and each of the first temperature zone and the second temperature zone comprise a plurality of air outlets;   wherein the first temperature region of the first temperature zone adjoins the second temperature zone; and   wherein the first heat load in the first temperature region of the first temperature zone corresponds to the heat load in the second temperature zone and is lower than the second heat load of the second temperature region of the first temperature zone, and the heating energy in the first temperature region of the first temperature zone results from a difference in heat load between the second heat load of the second temperature region of the first temperature zone and the heat load of the second temperature zone.   
     
     
         5 . The passenger compartment of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the control unit is designed to determine the difference in heat load as the difference between the second air outlet temperature in the second temperature region of the first temperature zone and an air outlet temperature in the second temperature zone.   
     
     
         6 . A means of transport with a passenger compartment, the means of transport comprising:
 the passenger compartment including at least one temperature zone with a first temperature region and a second temperature region, the first temperature region receives a first heat load and the second temperature region receives a second heat load, and the first heat load is different from the second heat load,   an distribution system in the passenger cabin, the air distribution system comprising:
 a control unit; 
 a plurality of air outlets that share a common air supply, and the at least one temperature zone includes the plurality of air outlets, a first group of the plurality of air outlets in the first temperature region outputs air of a first air outlet temperature to the passenger compartment and a second group of the plurality of air outlets in the second temperature region outputs air of a second air outlet temperature to the passenger compartment; and 
 at least one heating element associated with one of the plurality of air outlets in order to heat the air flowing from the one air outlet, which one air outlet is arranged in the temperature region of the first temperature region and of the second temperature region, which temperature region comprises a lower heat load than the other temperature region; 
   wherein the control unit is designed to determine a temperature in the at least one temperature zone, to determine a heating energy for the at least one heating element and to calculate the heating energy fir the at least one heating element in such a manner that in the at least one temperature zone an essentially uniform temperature is achieved.   
     
     
         7 . The means of transport of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the means of transport is an aircraft.   
     
     
         8 . A method for regulating an air outlet temperature of an air distribution system in a passenger compartment of a means of transport, with the air distribution system comprising a control unit, the passenger compartment comprising at least one temperature zone with a first temperature region and a second temperature region the at least one temperature zone including a plurality of air outlets that share a common air supply, the first temperature region is designed to receive a first heat load, and the second temperature region is designed to receive a second heat load, which first heat load differs from the second heat load, the air distribution system comprises at least one heating element, associated with one air outlet of the plurality of air outlets and is designed to heat the air flowing from the one air outlet, which one air outlet is arranged in one of the first temperature region and the second temperature region that comprises a lower heat load, and the control unit is designed to determine a temperature in each temperature zone and to calculate a heating energy for the at least one heating element, with a first group of the plurality of air outlets in the first temperature region designed to output air of a first air outlet temperature to the passenger compartment, and a second group of the plurality of air outlets in the second temperature region designed to output air of a second air outlet temperature to the passenger compartment, the method comprising the steps of:
 calculating the heating energy for the at least one heating element in the one air outlet, the at least one heating element influencing the air outlet temperature at the plurality of air outlets, 
 wherein calculating the heating energy takes place in such a manner that in the at least one temperature zone a temperature is achieved that is essentially uniform. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
 determining a first air outlet temperature in a first temperature zone of the at least one temperature zone;   determining a second air outlet temperature in a second temperature zone of the at least one temperature zone;   calculating the heating energy of the at least one heating element in the first temperature region of the first temperature zone by the first air outlet temperature and the second air outlet temperature; and   outputting the heating energy to the at least one heating element.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the first air outlet temperature is determined in the second temperature region of the first temperature zone.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 ,
 wherein calculating the heating energy is based on the difference between the first air outlet temperature and the second air outlet temperature.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one temperature zone comprises a plurality of temperature zones and the method further comprises the step of:
 determining a temperature in each temperature zone of the plurality of temperature zones;   wherein in each case the temperature in each temperature zone of the plurality of temperature zones is determined based on the highest heat load.   
     
     
         13 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product for controlling an air distribution system of a passenger compartment of a means of transport, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium including the computer program product readable by a processor of a control unit of the air distribution system to direct the air distribution system to carry out a method comprising the steps of:
 calculating a heating energy for at least one heating element in an air outlet, the at least one heating element influencing the air outlet temperature at a plurality of air outlets, the passenger compartment including at least one temperature zone with a first temperature region and a second temperature region, the at least one temperature zone comprises the plurality of air outlets that share a common air supply, the first temperature region is designed to receive a first heat load, and the second temperature region is designed to receive a second heat load, which first heat load differs from the second heat load, 
 wherein calculating the heating energy takes place in such a manner that in the at least one temperature zone a temperature is achieved that is essentially uniform. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 determining a first air outlet temperature in a first temperature zone of the at least one temperature zone;   determining a second air outlet temperature in a second tempera re zone of the at least one temperature zone;   calculating the heating energy of the at least one heating element in the first temperature region of the first temperature zone by the first air outlet temperature and the second air outlet temperature; and   outputting the heating energy to the at least one heating element.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 wherein the first air outlet temperature is determined in the second temperature region of the first temperature zone.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 wherein calculating the heating energy is based on the difference between the first air outlet temperature and the second air outlet temperature.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein at least one temperature zone comprises a plurality of temperature zones and the method further comprises the steps of:
 determining a temperature in each temperature zone of the plurality of temperature zones;   wherein in each case the temperature in each of the plurality of temperature zones is determined based on the highest heat load.